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The numbers are in: male infertility in Singapore is on the rise, and both sperm count and sperm quality has dropped on a global scale. But this doesn’t quite mean that all hope is lost for couples trying to conceive… read on to find out more!
Male infertility in Singapore is on the rise
According to the numbers, it seems as though more men in Singapore are now grappling with infertility.
More specifically: from 2015 to 2018, SGH has seen a 5x increase in male infertility cases, and the number of patients who sought treatment at NUH’s male infertility clinic increased by about 80%. Virtus Fertility Centre also reported a 72% increase in male infertility cases over the last two years.
What’s behind the spike in male infertility in Singapore?
Why has male infertility in Singapore shot up so drastically in the recent years? According to doctors, it’s likely that male infertility has always been a factor affecting a couple’s ability to conceive – it’s just that the problem wasn’t well-documented in past years, and it’s only begun to surface recently.
Consider this: we’ve seen a change in societal attitudes towards reproduction over the past few years, with couples realizing that they need to be more proactive, and take control of their fertility. Because more couples are now undergoing fertility tests, this naturally leads to more cases of male infertility being discovered.
Also: while infertility was traditionally attributed to the female partner in the past, couples today recognize that it’s possible that the male partner might contribute or be responsible for a couple’s infertility as well. According to ob-gyns, while women who are struggling to conceive still tend to get themselves checked first, more women are starting to ask their husbands to undergo fertility tests as well.
How does male infertility in Singapore compare to male fertility worldwide?
It’s clear that the rising male infertility rate in Singapore is mirroring the global phenomenon of declining sperm count and quality.
For more context: a 2017 study in the Human Reproduction Update journal shows that sperm counts of men have declined by more than 50% in the last 40 years. This study amassed data from men across several Western countries, including men in Australia, New Zealand, and Europe – so as you can see, the increase in male infertility is very much a global problem.
Reversing male infertility: is it possible?
Is it possible to reverse male infertility? In most (but not all!) situations, male infertility is caused by low or poor sperm count – and if that’s the case for you, you can DEFINITELY take steps to increase the volume and quality of your sperm count.
Here are some tips:
Have a balanced diet, and consume more of these 6 foods that help you increase sperm count naturally.
Stop abstaining from sex, because this hurts your sperm quality.
Swap out your tight underwear for loose boxer shorts (again, this hurts sperm quality).
The way we see it, it’s great that we’ve finally opened our eyes up to how big of a problem male infertility is – instead of continuing to sweep it under the rug. Now that you know that male infertility in Singapore IS very real, you can move onto adapting your lifestyle to boost your fertility!
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